Make Animals Matter in #GE2017

Naturewatch Foundation is calling for all parties in the 2017 General Election to include strong and clear animal welfare policies in their election manifestos.

To bring about positive changes for animals, we ask all parties to consider several opportunities based on Naturewatch Foundation’s core campaigns.

Dog Welfare

End the sale of puppies via third parties other than genuine rehoming services. The single quickest way to end cruel puppy farming is to cut out the middle-man and ban third party sales.

Modernise dog breeding regulations to protect progeny of dogs. We need national breeding regulations to end now common health problems, like respiratory disorders in brachycephalic dog breeds.

Publish a list of registered and licensed dog breeders and sellers. The Government must improve traceability of sellers and breeders to protect both dogs and puppy buyers from unscrupulous puppy farmers.

Introduce stricter laws for online classified sites. We want advertising standards made mandatory for all websites advertising puppies within the UK.

Animal Experiments

Repeal section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986. The public has a right to know about the methods used and purposes of animal experiments happening within our own borders.

End the use of animals in household product ingredient testing, and ban the sale of household products which contain new ingredients tested on animals. Nobody wants animals harmed for washing up liquid.

Increase funding for non-animal alternative tests and introduce a levy for animals used in British laboratories. Or create tax incentives for research not involving animals. Only when the Government takes an active role in incentivizing industries to use fewer animals in experiments will we see the number of animals used decrease.

End the use, breeding and importation of dogs and cats for scientific procedures and training in the UK. While no animal deserves to be experimented on, there is zero public appetite for using beloved pets as scientific instruments. It’s time to validate non-animal alternative methods to using dogs and cats in experiments in the UK, and stop allowing laboratory beagle breeding facilities to expand in the UK.

GE2017 also represents an opportunity for the United Kingdom to become a world leader in animal welfare. So we are imploring political leaders to consider the impact leaving the European Union will have on animals, and strengthen and extend animal welfare and wildlife protection legislation post-Brexit.